Duck and Cover
by Kali Gargoyle
Summary: A "lost" cartoon ep. Shredder tries to destroy Christmas! And the Turtles meet another mutant. Can they save Christmas and help their new friend discover his inner hero? ~~Finished!~~
1. Part One

Duck and Cover

By Kali Gargoyle

***

Part 1

***

The sewers of New York City hold many secrets. Life stirs in the dark shadows and murky waters, life the likes of which we never see in daylight above ground.

"Come on, Donatello! I'm gonna miss my show!"

This particular group is generally referred to as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They turned the dirty tunnels of the city's sewer system into a relatively comfortable home, complete with a kitchen, running water, bathroom facilities, separate bedrooms, a large dojo/training area, and cable. Or at least they will have cable as soon as Michaelangelo stops pestering Donatello.

"_Your_ show? Get real, Michaelangelo, we aren't wasting the first day we get cable watching some dumb kiddie show!"

Add Raphael to the list of disturbances as well.

"But _Raphael_," Mike whined. "I haven't seen _Ace Duck_ since it got syndicated!"

Donatello looked up from hooking up the wires to the back of the TV. He glared at his arguing brothers. "Both of you can it or I'll throw this box out right now!"

Raphael and Michaelangelo both stopped in mid-fight over the remote control. Raphael was holding it over his head while Mike tried to jump for it. They both stared at Donatello with mild fear in their eyes.

Don just grumbled as he went back to attaching the last cables. _Yeah, thought that would keep you quiet._

"There we go," Don finally said as he plugged in the TV.

"All right!" Mike made a final grab for the remote, catching Raphael by surprise. Raph fell back onto the couch and could only watch in frustration as Mike aimed the remote at the television.

"Hey, Michaelangelo, wait, there's a loose-"

BOOM! _Sizzle_...

Mike stared at the TV, which was now smoking. Donatello stumbled out from the cloud of smoke, coughing and waving his hand to clear the air. Parts of his skin and shell were tinted black.

"-wire."

Mike gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry"

Raphael rested his elbow on the arm of the couch and rested his chin on the palm. "Well, look on the bright side, Donatello, it wasn't _you_ who blew it up this time."

"Like..." Mike started cautiously. "You can fix it, right?"

Don sighed, taking visual inventory of the obvious damage to the TV set and his brother's hopeful expression. "Yeah, but it's going to take a day or two."

Mike pouted, his big brown eyes watering. "But- but- but I'll miss my show!"

Don unplugged the TV. "Not my problem. I've got things I wanted to watch, too, you know. Raph, come help me take this into my lab."

Michaelangelo watched sadly as Don and Raph lifted the broken television and left the room with it. He even waved goodbye to it, mentally promising to come visit it.

"What's wrong, Michaelangelo?"

Mike turned to see Leo returning from his morning run. "The TV broke."

"How'd that happen?"

Mike just gave an exaggerated shrug.

***

"April! April, get in here!"

April O'Neil sighed to herself and pushed a lock of red hair back behind her ear as she headed towards her boss's office. She hated the stories they always gave her this time of year. Hopefully it would be better than last year's snowman building contest.

"Yes, Mr. Thompson?" she asked in a fake singsong voice with an equally fake smile.

Burne Thompson waved a manila folder over his head. "I need you to go down and cover the filming of that Ace Duck special."

April felt another migraine forming. "A kids show? Come on..."

"That's your assignment!" He tossed the folder across the desk and April had to nearly jump to catch it before it hit the floor and scattered its contents across the carpeting. Burne then leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the desk. "Unless you'd rather go without your holiday bonus this year."

April clenched her fingers around the stiff paper folder and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her to vent some of her frustration. "I shouldn't be reduced to reporting children's television!"

Irma didn't even look up from filing her nails "Look on the bright side, at least you don't have Vernon's assignment. He's reporting on the holiday shopping rush. Bet he's been trampled three times by now."

The two women shared quick laugh before April went off to collect her news crew.

***

Far away from the city of New York, where ice and snow stretched as far as the eye could see, sits a large, round fortress. On top, sits an eye, which keeps watch over the frozen plains, as if there was something to watch. Inside, advanced alien technology lined every wall and corridor. And the living inhabitants were just as strange as their surroundings.

"Blast it all!" A large robot-type being was standing in front of the control panel for an inter-dimensional portal, which was currently being used as a big screen TV. In the belly of the robot sat a brain-like creature named Krang. He used his tentacles to press various buttons on the panel, effectively changing the channel.

"Christmas programming! All I can get in Christmas programming!"

The doors to the room opened and in walked two mutants, a rhino and a warthog, Rocksteady and Bebop, respectively. They took one look at the big portal television and ran over.

"Ooh, I love this program," Rocksteady said. "My favorite part is when all the toys get broken."

"Yeah," Bebop agreed. "But den someone comes to save dem all. I hate dat part."

They whined and groaned when Krang changed the channel. "Hey, we was watching that!"

"I don't care," Krang replied in his I-am-amused-by-your-pain tone. He flipped through several more channels, each one showing similar snow-covered scenes with reindeer and fat men in red suits. Finally he just pressed another button and called out, "Saki!"

A few minutes later, The Shredder marched into the room, his cloak rippling behind him, and his blades shining in an intimidating fashion. "What do you want _now_, Krang?"

"I want you to get rid of Christmas."

Shredder just raised an eyebrow at the pink blob staring back at him. Bebop and Rocksteady gasped.

"Youse can't get rid a Christmas!"

"Yeah, it's my favorite holiday," Rocksteady whined, laying his ears down. "I used to throw my coal at the other kids and steal their toys."

Bebop sighed. "Those were da days."

"Shut up, you idiots!" Krang snapped at them. "Saki, I want you to destroy Christmas. I'm tired of all the carols and nauseating, redundant programming."

"And how, exactly, am I supposed to destroy a holiday?" Shredder asked, waving around his bladed arms menacingly.

"You're the evil ninja master, you figure it out." Shredder glared at the back of Krang's android body as he turned away.

"And this is April O'Neil, of Channel Six news, reporting on what will hopefully become a staple for our holiday season." The camera zoomed back to show Miss O'Neil standing on a city street, which looked like it had been temporarily transformed into a TV studio. "We're here on the set of the Ace Duck Holiday Special, where they are about to start filming their final scenes." She turned to the man beside her, a tall, thin man with a beret and a crooked mustache. "I'm here with the director of the show, Mr. Fausner. Mr. Fausner, can you tell me why you're shooting so late for a holiday release, and why you've decided to film here, and not in your usual studio?"

The director straightened his ascot and cleared his throat. "Well, we had some scheduling problems," he told her with a light French accent. "The network wanted thirteen more episodes this season than we usually do. And-"

"There!" Krang suddenly said, turning back to Shredder. The android body pointed back at the screen. "Go there and ruin their filming. And then go to the station that airs it and destroy it!"

Shredder rolled his eyes. "I should be trying to take over the world! This is so... so... so trivial!"

"Go!" Krang shouted. "And take these two portal potatoes with you." Bebop and Rocksteady had taken up seats mere inches away from the giant TV screen, watching as they showed short clips from the upcoming special.

"Bebop! Rocksteady! Come with me! And I'm taking some Foot soldiers," he called over his shoulder. After leaving the room he growled to himself. "Destroying Christmas, how cliché."

"Yeah, but we never done dat before, boss," Bebop snorted.

"Hey, Bebop, I wonder if we get to kidnap Santa."

***

"And, we're clear!"

April lowered her microphone and gave a sigh of relief. "Glad that's over with."

"Psst, April."

April quickly looked around to make sure no one was watching, but everyone was busy either packing up to leave, or continuing to film. She slipped around the back of the news van and saw the Turtle van parked in the alleyway. Two bundled up figures stood nearby, two of the Turtles. April wished she had thought to grab a coat, as it was staring to get rather cold. "Hey guys."

Michaelangelo was jumping from one foot to the other, looking like a kid in a candy store. Leo gave him a disapproving glance before speaking to April. "Thanks for calling us for this, April. Michaelangelo's been bummed all morning ever since the TV broke. This really cheered him up."

"I get to meet Ace Duck!" Mike hooted, pumping his arms up over his head.

"Calm down, Michaelangelo!" Leo hissed.

April giggled at Mike's enthusiasm. "Glad to do it. Come on, there's a spot over here where we'll be out of the way and not noticed while they're filming. But you have to be _quiet_, Michaelangelo."

Mike nodded furiously. "Quiet, oh, yeah, I can be quiet. Quiet as a mouse, as a ninja, even."

"Just be quiet."

"And- Action!" they heard the director call.

Mike's eyes got big, and he nearly exploded with excitement when Ace Duck, in all his feathered glory, ran into the shot and struck an action pose. "Stop, evil doers!"

Two actors dressed in dark clothing and ski masks froze a few yards away. They dropped the bags they were holding and pulled out prop guns. They starting "firing" at Ace Duck, who expertly dodged all the "bullets".

Leo allowed himself a smile. He'd never seen Mike this happy before. He looked back towards the other people, checking to see if they'd caught anyone's attention, but everyone was focused on Ace Duck and the robbers.

"Uh oh." Leo's smile faded as he caught sight of a dark-haired boy running onto the set towards the scene being filmed. Another movement caught Leo's trained eye and he looked up. One of the lighting fixtures was swaying, like it was about to fall.

"Watch out!" Leo leapt forward and ran to the kid, snatching him up in his arms just as the last bolt on the light gave way and the heavy fixture fell, shattering into a thousand pieces.


	2. Part Two

Whoa, I am totally blown away by the response to this. I had no idea this many people were _reading_ my stories, let alone _missing_ them. Whoa. Thanks to everyone who reviewed my stories, and not just this one, all the others as well. And Happy Holidays!

***

Duck and Cover

***

Part Two

***

"Leonardo!" Mike exclaimed, pulling his attention from the filming for the first time as the light crashed down to the ground. Pieces of glass and metal were scattered all over the pavement.

Leonardo lifted his head up and looked over at the disaster. Then he looked back down at the kid in his arms. "You okay?" The boy nodded wordlessly.

"Cut!" The angry director threw his doughnut on the ground and stormed over to where Leo and the boy stood. "You just ruined that take. And that light!" His face was beginning to turn bright red. "Do you have any idea how much that costs?!"

Leonardo was about to start defending himself when the director grabbed the little boy by the arm and yelled in his face. "Where are your parents? Someone has to pay for this!"

Leo saw red. He grabbed Fausner by the collar of his shirt and lifted him off the ground. The boy was now near tears. "Now you listen here, you-"

"What's going on here?"

The group turned to see Ace Duck walking towards them. Raphael and Donatello walked over from the opposite direction. The director pointed at Leonardo and the boy. "These two are trespassing. And destroying the studio property!"

"It was an accident!" Leo shouted back.

"Go set up for the next shot," Ace said. Then he watched the director storm unhappily back to his chair, taking his frustration out on the camera guy and the interns. Ace turned back towards the boy and for a second Leo thought the actor was going to start yelling at him too, but Ace just knelt down to the kid's eye level. "You know you aren't supposed to be here."

The boy, who couldn't have more than six, held out a notebook and a pen. "Mister Ace Duck, sir, can I please have your autograph?"

Ace smiled and happily took the pen and paper. He chatted with the boy as he wrote, asking his name: "Lew." And where his parents were: "Over there."

"There you go." He ruffled the boy's black hair as he handed back the autograph book. "Now get going before Mr. Meanie comes back."

The boy didn't need to be told twice, he was out of there like a rocket. Ace chuckled as he stood up, turning to Leonardo. "Nice catch."

Leo allowed himself a small smile. "Thanks. I'm Leonardo." He held his hand out.

Ace grasped it firmly. "Nice to meet you. I'm-"

"Ace Duck!" Michaelangelo finally got over the shellshock of one of his heroes standing right in front of him. He grabbed Ace's hand and shook it furiously. "I'm like, your biggest fan! You're my hero!"

Ace smiled politely. "Hey, easy there, pal, I'm kinda attached to those pinfeathers."

Mike let go with an apologetic smile. Ace looked him over and burst out laughing. "Definitely not within the target age group."

Leo was about to make a comment about how Mike _was_ in the age group, mentally, when Mike blurted out, "That's not a costume. You're a mutant like us!"

Leo cuffed Mike gently on the back of the head. Ace laughed again. "Is that what we're called? Huh."

"So what's your story?" Donatello asked.

Leo glanced over at Raphael and Donatello. "What're you two doing here?"

"It's called a plot device," Raphael told him. "You think you'd be able to recognize one by now."

Leo gave Raph an unamused glance and looked back at Ace expectantly. Mike was a bundle of excitement. "Yeah, dude, tell us how you came to be the totally awesome hero you are today."

Ace cleared his throat. "Well, it isn't exactly heroic, but..."

***Flashback***

The sky was clear and blue, not an obstacle in sight. Pilot Ace Conrad was enjoying the blissful feel of flight as he soared hundreds of miles above ground, far away from traffic jams and crazy drivers. Ever since he was a small child, he was convinced that this was the only way to travel. Even pretended he had wings from time to time. Although that had ended shortly after suffering from a broken leg after trying to fly from his treehouse.

He chuckled to himself. And today he was happy piloting his own plane. And a prototype at that. Brand new, first of its kinda, and he was the first man to take it up. If this wasn't heaven, he didn't know what was.

__

"How you doing up there, Ace?"

"Fabulous," Ace replied back over the radio. "Flies like a dream. Real smooth."

__

"Great. Bring her back down."

"Roger that." Ace gently eased the controls to circle the plane back towards the test strip. Suddenly, a bright stream of light shot down right in his path. "What the-?"

__

"What's going on up there, Ace?"

Ace didn't have time to reply, or even evade, and flew right into the middle of the beam.

__

"Ace? Ace, can you hear me? Respond!"

Ace heard him, but couldn't reply. He pulled the stick to the right as hard as he could, pulling the plane from the beam. It also sent him into a spiral and he was too low to pull out of it in time.

__

"ACE!"

SPLASH!

Ace managed to steer the plane into a nearby pond. The crash scattered the wildlife away. Small mammals, frogs, and ducks fled from the scene. The cockpit door of the plane opened, slamming back against the hull of the plane. Ace half-walked/half-crawled out the door and tumbled into the water. The animals started coming back, curious about what had just invaded their home. One of the ducks even had the audacity to sit right on Ace's head.

Before Ace could even catch his breath, the beam was back. Without the plane to protect him, Ace was hit full force. It felt like he was being pulled inside out. He tried to scream but he couldn't find his voice. Finally it stopped and he fell face first back into the water.

__

Meanwhile...

"Krang, will you stop those infernal tests?"

The bodiless alien pushed away from the console and turned his bubble-walker around. "Don't bother me Shredder. I have to test this weapon to make sure it's up to my standards."

"But it's not even a vital system," Shredder complained. "Shouldn't you be trying to get this thing completely built before working on secondary systems?"

"Stupid human. Weapons always have top priority." Krang turned back to the console. "Hmmm... It looks like this laser isn't working properly. I should have known better. Inferior Earth technology could never replace the advancements in Dimension X."

***End Flashback***

Mike was grinning ear to ear. "Wow."

"Umm, one question. How did you know it was Shredder and Krang when you weren't anywhere near the Technodrome?"

Leo elbowed Raph in the side. "Raphael, what did we tell you about pointing out plotholes?"

"What happened after you passed out?" Donatello asked.

"Well," Ace said. "I came to and saw that I had been changed into a giant duck! I had no idea what to do. I hid when the search and rescue crew came looking for me. I worked for the government, I know what they do with things like what I had become. So I let them think I was dead. I returned home and luckily my parents and brother believed me."

"So, like, how'd you end up on TV?" Mike asked.

"Funny story, that. My brother's a television writer. He was hard pressed for an idea so he decided to use me as inspiration. As luck would have it, the network loved it, and I got cast because that way they wouldn't have to spend a ton of money on costumes."

"Ace, we need you back on the set, NOW!"

Ace scowled over his shoulder. "That'll be my cue. Maybe I'll see you guys around." He was off and jogging towards the director before any of them could say anything.

Leo was a bit annoyed at Ace's sudden departure. "Come on guys, we've got work to do."

"Work?" Raphael repeated. "What work?"

Leo knelt down next to the busted light, then stood and looked up at the pole it had been attached to. "This didn't fall by accident." He gestured Donatello over. "See? None of the supports are damaged."

"You're right. It looks like someone took off the bolts."

Raph crossed his arms. "And they couldn't have, say, come loose over time, hmm?"

"Not the way these people work." Leo hiked his thumb towards the crew. They were all busy. "We've been watching them. They check all the equipment pretty often. They'd have noticed if even just one of the bolts had come loose. No, someone did this on purpose, and we have to find out who."

***

Shredder paced in an alley not far from the set. "So, you did it?"

Bebop and Rocksteady nodded. "We made the light fall, just like you wanted, boss."

"Excellent." Shredder twirled his cape around. "With all the damage you two have done, they'll have no choice but to stop their ridiculous Holiday program." He started laughing maniacally and Bebop and Rocksteady shared a worried look.

"Um, actually..." Rocksteady started. Before he could utter another syllable, Shredder was towering over him.

"Actually what?" Shredder growled.

"Actually, we just did..." Rocksteady gulped. "One light."

Shredder narrowed his eyes. "One?"

"Well, you see... There was this kids under da light, and then he got saved."

"By one of da toitles!" Bebop added.

"The Turtles?!? Here?" Shredder threw his hands up in the air. "Just perfect. Must they always interfere in my plans?"

"Yes, we must!" Leonardo stepped into the alley, disguise discarded, swords drawn. "Your evil plan ends here, Shredder!"

"You'll never stop me, you miserable mutants!" Shredder shook his fist at them.

"Out of curiosity, what are we supposed to be stopping you from doing?" Raphael asked.

Shredder took on an intimidating villain pose. "First I plan to ruin this pathetic television show, then all of Christmas!"

The Turtles looked at each other, then back at the laughing Shredder. "You're going to ruin Christmas? Seriously?"

Shredder stopped laughing. "What's wrong with that? All good villains have tried it at least once in their careers!"

"Yeah, but," Raphael snickered. "It's not exactly "you", you know what I'm saying."

"Yeah, you're usually trying to power up the Technodrome or take over the city," Don pointed out.

"Well, yes, I just thought I'd do a little expanding."

"Well you're not getting away with it!" Michaelangelo yelled, stepping to the front of the group. "You can't destroy Christmas! You won't get away with terrorizing a TV crew or even kidnapping Santa Claus!"

"I wasn't planning to- You still believe in Santa Claus?" Shredder interjected.

"Because it's about more than that! It's not all about decorations and carols and presents, it's about the joy of giving and being with family. It's about having one day of peace and happiness around the world."

Shredder looked shocked. "You're absolutely right! I almost did a horrible thing! What was I thinking? I give up!"

The turtles stared in muted shock. Mike blinked. "Whoa. Seriously?"

"No. Bebop, Rocksteady, get them!"


	3. Part Three

Duck and Cover

***

Part Three

***

The Turtles used garbage cans and dumpsters as cover against Bebop and Rocksteady's laser fire.

"So what do we do now, oh Fearless Leader?" Raphael asked as he ducked to avoid another laser beam.

"Well, as long as they're firing on _us_, they won't hurt any innocent people," Leo replied.

"Great," Don remarked. "Now we're using ourselves as living shields."

"It's all part of the hero thing," Mike grinned. "Besides, these _Wild Safari_ rejects couldn't hit the broad side of a barn!" He shouted this last part loud enough for the two mutants to hear him. The laser fire increased.

"Come out an' fight, you stupid turtles!" Rocksteady yelled.

"You can't hide forever," Bebop added.

Leonardo sneered. They were right, they couldn't just sit here and wait for one side to falter or advance. Someone had to take action. "Michaelangelo, take that trashcan lid and when I say now-"

"Gotcha, leader-man." Mike grabbed the lid from the trashcan and ducked back down, reflecting a beam with the metal lid. He got into position and nodded to Leonardo. Leo nodded back, then took a few steps back from the dumpster he was behind. It meant that he would be totally visible for a few seconds, but he'd risk it.

He took a running start, then leapt up unto the dumpster, using it as a trampoline for more height. Bebop and Rocksteady immediately turned their attention to the airborne turtle, who reflected the beams that came too close with his katana. "Now, Michaelangelo!"

Mike jumped up from his hiding spot and flung the trashcan lid like a Frisbee. It hit Bebop and Rocksteady's blasters with such force that they exploded on contact. As they were nursing their poor hands Leonardo landed right in front of them. "Give it up."

Shredder grabbed his mutants from behind and pulled them back. "Never! Bebop, Rocksteady, follow me, it's time for plan B." To keep the turtles from following, Shredder threw a trashcan at them. Leo managed to dodge it easily, but it threw his balance off and by the time he was standing again, and his brothers had joined him at that end of the alley, Shredder was long gone.

"Neat trick," Raphael said to Michaelangelo. "I would have used the lid as a shield to rush them."

"Which is exactly why I asked Mike to help and not you." Leo dusted himself off and turned back the way they came before Raph could retaliate. "Come on, we have to warn the TV crew!"

***

When the Turtles got back to the TV set, everything was starting to get packed away. The four went over to April's news van, which was just about ready to leave.

"What's going on?" Leonardo asked. "Are they done shooting already?"

April stored away her mini cam. "Yeah, at least all they can do here. They're predicting snow in an hour or so, anyway. And I've got to get to City Hall to report on the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. They're supposed to be using a new type of crystal instead of lights this year."

"I think I heard something about that," Donatello said. "Tridonomyte, I think they called it. It's an artificially created, self powering, light generating crystal."

"Huh?" Mike asked.

"A new kind of blinky light," Raphael offered.

Donatello made a sour face. "That's one way to put it."

"Wait," Leonardo interrupted. "You said self powering. How, and can they be used to power other things?"

Donatello rubbed his chin in thought. "Well, it takes a small amount of power to get them going, but after that they pretty much go on their own, and are capable of putting out more power than you put into them, the snowball effect. I suppose if tapped into correctly they could be harnessed as a battery for clocks, flashlights-"

"The Technodrome," Leo interrupted.

Don shook his head. "No, those crystals are way too small to power anything that big."

"But what if they had _hundreds_, or were able to manufacture a gigantic crystal." Leo punched his fist into his palm. "That has to be what Shredder has planned. He's going to steal those crystals."

"Oh, you think Shredder just wants to steal _everything_," Raphael commented.

"Well, he kinda does," April reminded them. "Anyway, I'm heading over there, you're free to come along if you want."

"The more I think about it, the more I think Leo's right," Don said.

Raph crossed his arms. "What else is new?"

"With Krang's alien technology," Donatello continued, "He may just be able to tap into the Tridonomyte's power to power the Technodrome."

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Raphael called, already heading for the Turtlevan.

"Wait a sec, guys!" Michaelangelo turned and ran off towards a group of people.

Raphael cast a worried look towards the others. "He's not gonna do what I think he's gonna do, is he?"

Leonardo sighed. "I'm afraid so."

Michaelangelo came to an abrupt halt at the edge of a group of kids. "Ace. Ace!" He jumped up and down, waving his arms to get the attention of the mutant duck sitting in the middle of a group of kids.

Ace looked up, smiling. He patted the head of a little blonde girl and parted the sea of children to get to Michaelangelo. "Come back for an autograph?"

"Yeah!" Mike blurted out, then quickly corrected himself. "I mean, no. No, Shredder and his goons, the ones who were trying to ruin your show, they're going to steal the power light dohickies from the City's Christmas Tree! You gotta help us save Christmas!"

Ace took on a slightly panicked look, which only intensified when he heard the excited whispering of his little fan club behind him. "See, I told you he was a real hero." "He's gonna help the Turtleman save Christmas." "You think Santa's been kidnapped?"

Ace immediately clasped Mike around the shoulders and led him away from the group. In a loud voice he replied, "Why, it just so happens that I'm going to be at City Hall for the Tree Lighting Ceremony."

The whispering faded away, and when it was finally gone Ace ducked around a corner just to make sure. He looked at Mike, frowning at the unhidden enthusiasm on his face. "Look - Michaelangelo, was it? - I appreciate your fan support, I really do, but I'm not really a hero. I'm an actor, I play a hero on TV. It's not real."

Mikey's lower lip started to tremble. Ace smiled and gently cuffed Mike on the chin. "You and your brothers are this city's real heroes. I'd only be in the way if I go. Go, save the city from the evils of - Shredder, did you say?"

"Yeah. The Shredder."

"Man, and I thought the names they came up with for the villains on _my_ show were corny." He punched Mike in the shoulder. "Now go be a hero."

Mike stood up straight and saluted. "I won't let you down!"

***

Meanwhile, at City Hall, two Foot soldiers were holding the entire Tree Lighting Committee at gun point. A pile of valuables sat at their feet, plea bargains from the captives for freedom. But the android ninjas stood still, waiting for a change in orders, one way or another.

"Well, well, well." Shredder walked up behind the Foot soldiers, but gave them no orders to move or lower their weapons. "I want the Tridonomyte crystals and I want them now!"

"They're all up on the tree!" one of the men told him, pointing at the evergreen at the other end of the stage.

Shredder looked up at the tree. It towered several stories above them, separated from the street by an equally large curtain. "Well, this calls for a change in plans." Shredder pulled out his communicator and a second later the pink face of Krang filled the view screen.

"Just when I find something good on TV... What is it, Shredder?"

"I found something that may interest you, Krang." He turned the communicator towards the tree so Krang could see the crystals. They were each about the size of a lightbulb with three main crystal shards, each flashing a different color, red, green, and white, in a perfectly in sync pattern. "It's Tridonomyte. A small amount of energy and they power themselves forever."

"Ooh!" Krang let out a pleased sound. "Very good Shredder. Get it to the Technodrome as soon as possible."

Shredder looked back into the view screen. "That may be a problem. There's no way we can get all the Tridonomyte off the tree before someone tries to stop us. But I have a plan, and it will effectively ruin Christmas for the citizens of this city as well! Mwahahahahahahaha!"

"Stop laughing and get busy then, I want those crystals."

"Well, that's why I called you. I need you to send me some equipment."

***

The Turtlevan pulled up in front of City Hall at the same time as April's news van and the car carrying Ace Duck.

"Where are they?" Michaelangelo asked.

"Well, they're after the crystals, which are on the tree, so I 'd say they're back there." Don pointed to a curtained off stage. The turtles pushed through the small crowd that was already forming for the ceremony. April was right on their heels, press pass flashing.

Leonardo jumped onto stage. "We're onto you plan, Shredder, so just give it up. There's no way you can-"

"No way!" Mike gasped.

They all gasped when they saw what was happening. Shredder stood triumphantly in front of the tree. The tree itself looked fine, except for the giant rocket boosters being attached to bottom.

"You're too late, Turtles! In a few seconds, this tree, and the Tridonomyte, will be on their way to the Technodrome."

"A few seconds is all we need, Tin face!" Raphael snapped.

Just as the Turtles were about to charge, Rocksteady stepped onto stage holding prisoner none other than Ace Duck! "Hey, boss, look who I caught sneaking around back stage!"

"I demand you release me!" Ace shouted as he struggled. "I'm no threat to you!"

Shredder grinned behind his mask. "No, but you are an excellent insurance policy." He turned back to the Turtles. "Unless you want your feathered friend to become pillow stuffing, you'll stay where you are."

"Forget about me!" Ace cried. "Stop them!"

And for yet another twist, Bebop then walked onto the stage carrying two squirming children under his arms. "And what do you want me to do with these two, boss?"

Shredder laughed. "Even better!"

Mike gasped. He recognized the two kids from Ace's fan club, it was the little boy who Leo had saved and the blonde girl Ace had been talking to before. They must have followed Ace backstage. "Leo, we can't let him hurt those kids."

"I know," Leo replied, feeling frustrated. They couldn't let Shredder get away with those crystals, or the tree, but they couldn't risk him hurting Ace or the kids. The only thing they could do is hold their places and wait for an opportunity to present itself.


	4. Part Four

Duck and Cover

***

Part Four

***

"Any ideas?" Leonardo whispered back to his brothers.

Don pressed a button on the small remote he had palmed in his hand. "Mine'll be here in a few minutes."

"We don't _have_ a few minutes!" Raph hissed back.

"Then we'll have to stall as long as we can," Leonardo replied. He could only watch as Ace and the kids were tied up near the rocket-powered tree, right within roasting distance when the rocket packs were fired. Leo looked around for anything that could help. The previously captured committee members had fled. There were several decorations hanging around, he could use those...

"Isn't this cool!" the little boy exclaimed. The little girl squirmed and "accidentally" elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow!"

"Okay, knock it off you two," Ace said to them. "We have to figure a way out of this."

"We?" the girl asked. "_You're_ the hero."

Ace snapped his head around. "Then listen to me when I tell you to try and get those skinny arms of yours free!"

Both children were momentarily stunned into silence, and then they started to wiggle free of the ropes.

Shredder activated his communicator again once the foot soldiers signaled that they had finished attaching the rockets to the tree. "Krang, we're ready to proceed!"

"Good. I'll be waiting."

Donatello noticed that Foot soldiers moving away from the tree. "They're ready to blast off!"

Without a second's hesitation, Leonardo struck out with his katana and sliced through a string of garland hanging near him. That garland, along with the banner that was hanging from it, fell from it's supporting hooks onto the stage.

Shredder looked up when he noticed the shadow being cast over him. "NO!" He put his hands in front of his face as the giant cloth banner covered him and his gang. As they fought to find their way out the Turtles rushed over to Ace and the kids.

The girl was already free except for some loose rope wrapped around her middle, and she was pulling at the knots in Ace's ropes. Raphael snatched her up and carried her to a safe distance as the others hurried to rescue the other hostages. Leo took a knife to Ace's ropes, but the boy had pulled his too tight for Leo to use the knife without cutting him.

Donatello cast a panicked glance as the engines started smoking and humming louder. "Hurry up, guys, those things are going to take off any second!"

"We're working as fast as we can!" Mike snapped, but at the same time he doubled his efforts.

"Look out!" Leo, Mike, and Don provided cover for Ace and the boy as the engines began vibrating and flames shot out from underneath.

Then, slowly, the tree lifted up into the air. They were all so focused on the airborne evergreen that they failed to notice that one of the ropes connected to the tree was still connected to the boy. That is, until it became taut and the boy was pulled from Michaelangelo's grip. He soared upwards after the tree, screaming his little lungs out the entire time.

Everyone lunged for the trailing rope, but Ace duck was the only one who managed to get a good grip. And soon he, too, was being pulled upwards as the rocket-powered tree made it's way towards its destination.

Ace hadn't even realized what he was doing until he'd climbed all the way up to the boy and looked down.

"Ace, what have you gotten yourself into this time?" he mumbled to himself. "Well, obviously, we can't go down, so..."

Ace grabbed hold of the boy and pulled him around his shoulders. "Hold on!" he yelled over the roar of the engines. When the boy had a tight, maybe a bit too tight, grip around his neck, he undid the ropes around the boy's ankle. Then he climbed up the rope towards the tree.

They were swinging in the wind, and it took all of Ace's strength to keep from slipping backwards. Finally, they reached something somewhat sturdy and climbed up onto the top of the engines. Ace knelt down; boy still attached to take a look at one of the control panels. "Now, let's see..."

"Ace, look!"

Ace turned and looked towards where the little boy was pointing. Right in the path of the tree-rocket was a blimp! And not just any blimp, but one with a big Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles logo on it. Ace instinctively ducked down as the tree crashed right into the blimp. The tree shook violently and Ace just couldn't keep his grip. He and the boy went flying from their relatively safe perch. Ace was lucky enough to hit the rapidly deflating blimp, but the boy was not so lucky. He tumbled, feet over head, down towards the city below.

Ace slid down the balloon and landed right on the glider wing. He quickly crawled into the driver's seat and grabbed the control stick. He only needed a second before his mind fell back into old habits. _Standard control placement. So the glider release is..._ He pressed the button and the glider released with a slight hiss.

Instantly, he was heading downward after the boy. He had to swerve around several giant ornaments that were flying from the beached Christmas tree. He was nearly taken out by a giant plastic candy cane. He swooped down, executing a couple spirals, and snatched the boy just feet above a rooftop.

He took them back up to a safe and stable altitude. "It's okay, you're safe now."

The boy lifted his head up from being buried against Ace's flight jacket. He looked with wide eyes up at his hero, who had just saved his life. "I knew you were a real hero!"

Ace looked down at the kid and chuckled. He spotted the Turtles and Miss O'Neil on a rooftop and brought the glider in for a landing. The boy jumped off Ace's lap and ran over to his blonde friend. "Jessie, Jessie, you're never gonna believe what happened!" He started retelling the story to his friend at super speed, using those animated expressions and gestures that only kids seem to be able to get away with.

Mike clapped Ace on the back. "Dude! I knew you could do it!"

Leonardo smiled. "That was excellent piloting, Ace."

"Yeah, surprised you managed without your stunt man and director," Raph said. Leo elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow! What?"

Don looked depressingly into the distance as the Christmas tree and their blimp balloon landed in the ocean. He sighed. "We lose more blimps that way."

"This happens often?" Ace reached up to adjust his hat only to find it not there anymore. "While this was a fun adventure, I think I'm going to leave the heroics to you four from now on. I'm getting way to old for this."

The group shared a hardy laugh before going to take the kids back to their parents.

***

Back at the lair, the Turtles, Splinter, and Ace, all sat around the TV set to watch April's news report.

"And so, while the City's Christmas tree was not able to be saved, a heroic rescue was made."

The camera switched to a picture of the boy and his friend. "These ugly bad guys tied us up and the tree flew up into the sky and I flew up too and then Ace Duck flew up and saved me!"

April smiled as the camera cut back to her. "And there you have it, folks. Heroes really do exist. Ace Duck was not available for a full interview, but he did comment that, quote, 'I couldn't have done it alone. I owe a great deal to the city's real heroes, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.'"

Mike turned to Ace. "You sure you don't wanna stay?"

Ace stood up. "I'm sure. This isn't the life for me. I now understand that my job isn't just to entertain children for a half-hour each day. I'm a role model, a hero, and that's a big responsibility. Hopefully I can instill within this next generation the values and ideas to make them all better people in the future. But don't think you've seen the last of me, I'll be sure to drop in whenever I'm in town." Ace smiled and waved as he left the lair with a new outlook and purpose in life.

***

Authors note: Of course, we all know I don't own any of the characters in this story except for the random people, the director, and the kids. (*winks at Azure*)

I just wanna say thanks to all my reviewers, you guys are great motivators. And I wanna thank all the Ace Duck fans out there who ranted about how such cool of a character got an action figure, but no episode. This one's for you guys!


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